TNAG-0981-FCO40-1200-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 123

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 180

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 230940Z JANUARY 80

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 136 OF 23 JANUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

AKK 341|1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

24 JAN 19801

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

منا

REGISTRY

Action Take

PA

Pown4/1 AWW see

28)

Aw

16

YOUR TELNO 58 AND PEKING TELNO 48: RETURN OF AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT.

AN OPERATION WILL BE MOUNTED TOMORROW TO DETAIN ZHENG AND AS MANY AS POSSIBLE OF HIS ASSOCIATES. THEY WILL THEN BE EXAMINED

WITH A VIEW TO OBTAINING A REMOVAL ORDER AGAINST ZHENG.

2. UNLESS THERE IS A LEAK WE WILL WAIT ABOUT 24 HOURS, AND THE RECEIPT OF PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE, BEFORE TELLING THE NCNA WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND WHY: WE WOULD ALSO EXPLAIN THE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS.

3. UNLESS PEKING SEE STRONG REASONS TO THE CONTRARY, WE WOULD PREFER AT THIS STAGE TO SPEAK TO THE CHINESE ONLY IN HONG KONG. WE AGREE, HOWEVER, THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO EXPLAIN IN PEKING WHAT WE HAVE DONE ONCE THE WHOLE OPERATION IS OVER. AND ZHENG HAS, WE HOPE, BEEN RETURNED.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HK & GD

FED

MVD

NEWS D PUSD

MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL